Old or new Perussuomalaiset or new or old Perussuomlaiset – it’s a new Cadillac model!

We saw on Tuesday quite a political show in Finland with 22 MPs ditching the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* and forming a new party called the New Alternative. But don’t hold your breath because nothing has changed. It’s just a marketing of the same thing, a new Cadillac model as Malcolm X said, right-wing populist nationalism and all the toxicity that goes with it.

But why aren’t we told this by the media? Where are those visible minority reporters and our voice in this political row? Nowhere, because our opinions don’t count.

Between Sunday and Monday, when the newly elected PS chairperson Jussi Halla-aho was shown the door by Sipilä and Orpo, the government had a unique opportunity to step out of its harsh and hostile economic and immigration policies and put itself briefly on a moral pedestal.

Apart from the political shenanigans, it was a blow to the credibility of Sipilä’s government that exposed its wafer-thin moral fiber. As usual, we heard contradicting statements.

New Alternative bloc head, Simon Elo, rambled on about France’s Emmanuel Macron coming to their rescue and then sounding off soundbites that had roots in Marine Le Pen’s toxic rhetoric.

Elo was quoted as saying in YLE that he is a conservative, against multiculturalism and development aid in its present form.

What does being “against multiculturalism” mean? Is Elo stating that he wants Finland to remain white and Christian? If so, how does he plan to keep Finland white and Christian – with hostile policies?

Another MP, Ritva Elomaa, who mutinied the PS, said it was important that the new faction remained in government because she was worried that the extreme tightening of immigration policy could be loosened and put in jeopardy.

Apart from putting moral fiber into question let’s take a look at the political opportunism of the 22 MPs that mutinied the PS. It reinforces that Timo Soini and his band of followers will lie and backstab at any cost if required.

Tuesday June 13 will stand as one of the most disgraceful days in Finland’s political history.

* The official translation to Finnish of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party is the Finns Party. In our opinion, it is not only a horrible translation, but one that is misguided. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Such terms like the Finns Party of True Finns promote as well in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and thereafter the acronym PS.